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The learning curve in a competitive industry

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  • Rasmusen, Eric
  • Roy, Santanu

Abstract

We consider the learning curve in an industry with free entry and exit, and price-taking firms. A unique equilibrium exists if the fixed cost is positive. While equilibrium profits are zero, mature firms earn rents on their learning, and, if costs are convex, no firm can profitably enter after the date the industry begins. Under some cost and demand conditions, however, firms may have to exit the market despite their experience gained earlier. Furthermore identical firms facing the same prices may produce different quantities. The market outcome is always socially efficient, even if dictates that firms exit after learning. Finally, actual and optimal industry concentration does not always increase in the intensity of learning.

Suggested Citation

  • Rasmusen, Eric & Roy, Santanu, 1994. "The learning curve in a competitive industry," UC3M Working papers. Economics 2914, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
  • Handle: RePEc:cte:werepe:2914
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    Cited by:

    1. Gotz, Georg, 2002. "Sunk costs, windows of profit opportunities, and the dynamics of entry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 20(10), pages 1409-1436, December.
    2. Hommes, Cars & Zeppini, Paolo, 2014. "Innovate or Imitate? Behavioural technological change," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 308-324.
    3. Philip Auerswald, 2010. "Entry and Schumpeterian profits," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 553-582, August.
    4. Fabio Antoniou & Roland Strausz, 2014. "The Effectiveness of Taxation and Feed-in Tariffs," CESifo Working Paper Series 4788, CESifo.
    5. Emmanuel Petrakis & Eric Rasmusen & Santanu Roy, 1997. "The Learning Curve in a Competitive Industry," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 28(2), pages 248-268, Summer.
    6. Bläsi, Albrecht & Requate, Till, 2007. "Subsidies for Wind Power: Surfing down the Learning Curve?," Economics Working Papers 2007-28, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics.
    7. Petrakis, Emmanuel & Roy, Santanu, 1999. "Cost-Reducing Investment, Competition, and Industry Dynamics," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 40(2), pages 381-401, May.
    8. Sengupta Aditi, 2010. "Environmental Regulation and Industry Dynamics," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-29, June.
    9. Klepper, Steven & Simons, Kenneth L., 2005. "Industry shakeouts and technological change," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 23(1-2), pages 23-43, February.
    10. Till Requate, 2015. "Green tradable certificates versus feed-in tariffs in the promotion of renewable energy shares," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 17(2), pages 211-239, April.
    11. Elena Cefis & Cristina Bettinelli & Alex Coad & Orietta Marsili, 2022. "Understanding firm exit: a systematic literature review," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 423-446, August.
    12. Thompson, Peter, 2010. "Learning by Doing," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 429-476, Elsevier.
    13. Baldwin, Elizabeth & Cai, Yongyang & Kuralbayeva, Karlygash, 2020. "To build or not to build? Capital stocks and climate policy∗," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    14. Narita, Daiju & Requate, Till, 2021. "Price vs. quantity regulation of volatile energy supply and market entry of RES-E operators," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    15. Santanu Roy & Takashi Kamihigashi, 2004. "Investment, Externalities & Industry Dynamics," Econometric Society 2004 North American Summer Meetings 144, Econometric Society.
    16. Ana Espínola-Arredondo & Félix Muñoz-García, 2013. "Uncovering Entry Deterrence in the Presence of Learning-by-Doing," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 319-338, September.
    17. Choiniere, Conrad J., 2002. "Contract Structure, Learning-By-Doing And The Viability Of New Agricultural Industries," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19665, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    18. Gurkan Calmasur & Meryem Emre Aysin, 2020. "Regional Technological Learning in Turkish Cement Industry," Eurasian Journal of Economics and Finance, Eurasian Publications, vol. 8(4), pages 204-216.
    19. Bobtcheff, Catherine & Crampes, Claude & Lefouili, Yassine, 2018. "Demand Shocks, Learning-by-Doing and Exclusion," TSE Working Papers 18-911, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    20. Bläsi, Albrecht & Requate, Till, 2005. "Learning-by-Doing with Spillovers in Competitive Industries, Free Entry, and Regulatory Policy," Economics Working Papers 2005-09, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Department of Economics.
    21. Reichenbach, Johanna & Requate, Till, 2012. "Subsidies for renewable energies in the presence of learning effects and market power," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 236-254.
    22. Fabio Antoniou & Roland Strausz, 2017. "Feed-in Subsidies, Taxation, and Inefficient Entry," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(4), pages 925-940, August.
    23. Laura J. Kornish & Steven A. Lippman & John W. Mamer, 2011. "Search and the introduction of improved technologies," Naval Research Logistics (NRL), John Wiley & Sons, vol. 58(6), pages 578-594, September.

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